Green Beret calls for more to be done in search for missing Utah National Guardsman

SALT LAKE CITY — There’s frustration in the search to find the body of a missing member of the Utah National Guard, presumed murdered by his wife.

Matthew Johnson has been missing for nearly three months, and one of his fellow Green Berets said more should be done to find him.

“I think more can be done,” said John Hash, Utah Army National Guard 19th Special Forces Group.

Hash served with Johnson for 12 years in the Utah Guard’s 19th Special Forces Group and became friends outside of work. He was stunned to learn Johnson’s wife, Jennifer Gledhill, was arrested and charged for his murder.

“Having had Jen in our home before, you know, breaking bread with them, it turned out she’s responsible for his death; it was shocking, frankly,” Hash said.

That pain made it worse that Johnson’s body is still out there somewhere. Hash would like Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to get the National Guard out looking.

“I’d like to see the Governor commit openly to finding Matt, to bringing him home and giving him a proper burial,” he said.

A photo of Matthew Johnson and John Hash. (Courtesy John Hash)

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While the governor can call them out, the National Guard said that’s not what they do.

“This is a local law enforcement issue and not a National Guard or a state level issue. Human recovery is not a mission that’s specifically a National Guard mission or something that we specifically train for,” said Lt. Col. Chris Kroeber, Public Affairs Officer for the Utah Army National Guard.

It’s not necessarily an answer Hash wants to hear.

“You don’t give up, you leave no one behind, you bring him home, and he’s home, we just can’t find him, let’s find him,” Hash said.

Cottonwood Heights police, the agency in charge of the search for Johnson, said they didn’t have an update and are doing all they can to find him.

KSL TV contacted the Governor’s Office Thursday night but didn’t immediately hear back.